The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-10-30
An Experiment in State Socialism.

destiny 10 Our6elVe6l
An Experiment in State Socialism.
The socialistic experiment has already been
made In the world. and on a scale Of such
magnitude that we can determine with some
thing approaching accuracy what would be its
working under the conditions Of modern life.
TWAS In the Roman empire In the fourth
century, and the history OF this period, when
the State had become everything and the In
dividual nothing ID very clearly and learn
eddy presented by Mr.. WILLIAM ADAMS
BROWN in paper in the September number
Of the Political Science Quarterly. Tho GEN.
Trailing process which had been going on
In the empire ever since the days Of AU-
ausTUs had then eliminated In the realiza-
ton of the dream Of the modern Socialist,
or In complete State control Of industry.
"An industry. from that Of the petty colonist
who titled the soil to that of the great corpora
tions who had charge Of the provisioning Of
Rome and Constantinople, was under the
direct control and was conducted In the in
terest OF the State" 1t is true that the State
was not the unselflsh master for which the
Socialist looks, but IN making industry it's
absolute slave 1t only proceeded to an in
evitable result, whether you call the State
an empire or a socialistic organization.
From the early days of Rome there had
existed what was known as cOlleDia, or trades
unions. These societies extended through
out Roman life, from the sacred colleges Of
the priests to the political clubs. In the
later history the cOlle0ium appears to have
been a legal person, like our modern corpo-
ration, and as such entitled, under certain
restrictions, to hold property and receive
legacles. 1t had its own laws for the regula-
ton Of members elected its own officers and
preserved capital fund made up from dues
and from outside sources, and each member
had share In the income Of the fund. the
principal of which was not to be touched
under any circumstances.
The colleges Of workmen were trades
unions, and were for the common benefit
and protection. The State was at ono time
unfriendly to these workmen's societies, but
by the end of the second century it had
changed it's policy into encouragement, with
the object OF using them az "a convenient
means Of regulating the laboring classes In
general" Under ALEXANDER SEvRRUs the
college organization was extended to every
branch Of industry. Then the State turned
the corporations to service by employing
their organization for the collection, trans
portation, preparation, and distribution Of
the quotas Of supplies wrung from its con-
I quered prisoners for the provisioning OF tho
poor and idle masses Of Rome.
In this way the State gradually obtained
complete control Of the colleges, which pros
pered exceedingly In the third century under
It's fostering care. and until the beginning Of
the fourth century the liberty Of the indi-
vidual had not been interfered with. Then
1.-THE hand Of the State reached beyond tho
corporation and was laid on the Individual"
Rome had been living for four centuries on
the plumber OF her provinces, but now, hav-
ing exhausted the supply, 1t turned upon the
corporations and forced them to make up
the deficit. Heavy inroads were thus made
upon their capital fund, and presently the
ranks Of the members began to thin" I'm
all trades there was manifest a desire to
withdraw and join the crowd Of idle PEN
sioners In the great cities" Thereupon the
State, from having taken charge Of the col
leges proceeded to take control Of the indi-
vidual workman and compel him to remain.
It practically said to cultivator and work.
man alike: Whether 1t ID probable for you to
continue or not makes no difference. The
revenues must be paid, and II you will not
work Of your own accord and for your own
advantage. the State will make you work for
its advantage" And through the pervasive
college organization, which had grown up as
q method Of protection for him against out
side abuses, the laborer was In the end re-
duced to a condition Of more grinding slavery.
Through the colleges" explains Mr..
Brown, the State was enabled to reach the
Individual In way which would otherwise
In such an age have been impossible, for not
their post by all collegiate, and command
the imperial authorities to seek out and
reform all fugitives, but by establishing
solidarity of interest between members of the
same college, and holding all members
responsible for the fault Of each, they sue
ceeded In compelling the members to control
each other" Each workman was assigned
to his special task and forced to accomplish
1t, and mans position was no longer deter
mined by his own free choice, but was already
fixed for him by the conditions OF his birth.
The son Of q soldier must become a soldier.
the workmen In the State manufactures
were bound to their places for life, and when
they were dead their SONS must step into
them. The State went further and regu-
lated prices. as the Socialists would have II
do now. and In every way reduced the indi-
Viduk 10 subsection 10 its will.
Than The bEeak-uD Of tho Roman empire